BYRON — The Rochelle Township High School Speech Team competed in the Byron Holiday Classic on Dec. 21 and walked away with second place in the team competition.  Individuals who earned finalist honors included:

Varsity division: Z Brizuela - first place – Oratory. Lucas Smardo - first place - Radio Speaking. Z Brizuela - third place - Informative Speaking. Emma Kennay - third place - Special Occasion Speaking. Derek Swartz/Noah LeFevre - fourth place - Humorous Duet Acting. Noah LeFevre - fourth place - Humorous Interpretation. Lucas Smardo - fifth place Informative Speaking. Bobbie Henning fifth place     - Special Occasion Speaking. Bobbie Henning - sixth place - Original Comedy. Abby Losoya - sixth place - Poetry Reading. Isabella Biggs                  - sixth place - prose reading.

Next-in division:  Isabella Biggs - second place - Oratorical Declamation. Lydia Von Haden - second place - Dramatic Interpretation. Hailey Bunger second place - Special Occasion Speaking. Rafaela Canaan - third place - Special Occasion Speaking. Alayna Smardo - third place - Oratorical Declamation. Matilda Gonser - third place - Informative Speaking. Alayna Smardo - fourth place – Oratory. Brooklyn Hull - fourth place - Dramatic Interpretation. Rafaela Canaan - fourth place - Extemporaneous Speaking. Hailey Bunger - fifth place - Impromptu Speaking. Ephraim Gonser – fifth place - Radio Speaking. Mercy Hunley - sixth place - Impromptu Speaking.

Novice division: Connor Macklin - first place - Impromptu Speaking. Emma Kennay - first place - Oratorical Declamation. Aletheia Venuso - second place - Poetry Reading. Pedro Rosales - third place - Prose Reading. Mercy Hunley - third place - Radio Speaking. Lydia Von Haden/Lydia La Fevre - third place - Dramatic Duet Acting. Sophia Stein/Mackenzie Taylor - third place - Humorous Duet Acting. Lydia Le Fevre/Savanna Elshoff - fourth place - Humorous Duet Acting. Maddie Peska - fifth place - Extemporaneous Speaking. Austin Cruz - fifth place - Poetry Reading. Maddie Peska - sixth place - Oratorical Declamation.

Speakers of the week were Lydia Von Haden and Pedro Rosales.